Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009, 5:29 PM | 17 comments |
 

Briere out with flu, groin?
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Danny Briere will not skate Saturday night in Atlanta.

No, that is not a misprint. No, his suspension was not extended.

Briere picked up the flu bug over the Thanksgiving holiday and will be unable to play. He was suspended by the NHL for two games on Tuesday for his hit on Colorado defenseman Scott Hannan but completed that term on Friday.

Is the flu the only thing bothering Briere?

A Flyers source is telling me that Briere is also struggling with his groin again, just a few weeks after he came back from a quad injury that we were told was unrelated to last year's saga. He missed 53 games last year with a nagging groin problem.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren denied the claim on Saturday night. He was attending the Phantoms' game in Central Pennsylvania against the Hershey Bears.

Speaking of suspension, Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta was suspended for two games by the NHL on Saturday for his hit on Jared Ross on Black Friday. I am told that Ross will not skate in Atlanta. That means Jon Kalinski will probably play his first NHL game this season against the Thrashers.

Kaleta is not one of the NHL's more respected players. He plays on the edge, making questionable hits - he had two this week alone - and refuses to drop the gloves to defend himself or teammates.

The Flyers are trying to extend a 14-game winning streak against Atlanta tonight at Philips Arena. It is the longest active winning streak against one opponent in the NHL.

For the latest news, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DNFlyers.
Posted by Frank Seravalli @ 5:29 PM  Permalink | 17 comments
17
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:11 PM, 11/28/2009
    Sigh. Briere. I look forward to the twelve games you play per year.
    — elpel
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:54 PM, 11/28/2009
    I am sick of this team and it's stars constantly out of service. Ever since the Lindros years this team has had nothing but their players out the line up constantly. In the mean time what's in been 34 seasons? I am also sick of players with the backs to the play in the defensive zone and that 70's break out style with players stationary on the boards while trying to chip the puck past opposing players.
    — LCBline
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:44 PM, 11/28/2009
    great game by the Flyers tonight, awesome scoring, A+ effort
    — BHite15
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:08 PM, 11/28/2009
    I am sick of excuses by this team and it's coach. Stevens believe's they give good effort's game after game. He must be watching another game other than his own. They play in spurts. No emotion and listless playing.Get rid of John Stevens,please Holmgren. Get rid of the training staff too. Hold them accountable for all these injuries. Tell them they(the players) won't get paid unless you give 60 mins a game. You know what I give to my boss and workplace? 8 hours. You guy's give an hour and still look lazy and uninspired.
    — Iceman65
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:34 PM, 11/28/2009
    Briere's out the next game too - apparently he bit his tongue.
    — elpel
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:05 PM, 11/28/2009
    Dump salary(Gange,Briere) and go after Kovolchuk!!!!!!
    — bigphillydad
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:19 PM, 11/28/2009
    How much has Briere made per game this contract?
    — 1980
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:36 PM, 11/28/2009
    1980, based on the previous Frequent Flyer column, he makes about $34,000 per game. Per game. Which means he made about $2 million last year for games in which he didn't play.
    — elpel
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:39 PM, 11/28/2009
    It's tough to dump salaries, ie-Briere and Gagne, other teams have to take those salaries off the Flyers hands and the Flyers would have to get nothing but draft picks back because they can't take any salary back should they go for a Kovalchuk.
    — jbruder02
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:41 PM, 11/28/2009
    Kovalchuk will command a max salary more than likely unless if he stays in Atlanta which is what they are trying to do.
    — jbruder02
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:19 AM, 11/29/2009
    Are you talking Briere's salaray cap hit or his compensation ? There is a difference between the two numbers...
    — bsbullie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:23 AM, 11/29/2009
    Based on his cap hit, he makes over $79,000 per game. Based on his compensation, he brings in over $97,500 per game...
    — bsbullie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:57 AM, 11/29/2009
    A healthy Danny Briere is vital to the Flyers.
    — Disco Dave
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:23 PM, 11/29/2009
    I didn't think my numbers looked right - but the previous column stated that Briere's two-game suspension cost him 60-something thousand dollars. But you're right bsbullie, that doesn't really seem to match his yearly salary. In any case, it's money, it's a lot of it, and very little seems to be making its way into on-ice playing time.
    — elpel
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:10 PM, 11/29/2009
    Please, people, stop bashing Briere. We'd have all taken the money if it'd been offered us. Blame Homer for the cap hit, not Briere. His 2008 shootout goal vs. Buffalo was the catalyst behind that season's playoff berth clinch, and he was money clutch in that year's playoffs. He was bona fide hurt last year, and is the team's leading goal scorer so far this year.
    — Sean_King


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About Frank Seravalli
Frank Seravalli is in his fourth year with the Daily News and third season covering the Flyers. He started at the Daily News as an intern writing about the boozing legends of the Lincoln Financial Field lots and hasn't left. Since joining the Flyers beat, he has covered everything from the Winter Classic to the Stanley Cup Final and everything in between. Prior to joining the Daily News, the Bucks County native did a large amount of freelance work for local media outlets, covering high schools, colleges and all four of Philly's major sports teams. He resides in Center City. E-mail Frank at seravaf@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter @DNFlyers.

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